Google is continuously adding more features to Performance Max, its automated PPC campaign platform. The newest feature is message assets, which allow users to tap your ad and start a direct conversation with your business via WhatsApp. 

WhatsApp has more than 2bn monthly users, so enabling potential customers to reach you directly via this channel could be a gamechanger for lots of businesses.

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Source: Thomas Eccel

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Message extensions used to be available in Google Ads, though Google sunsetted this feature back in 2020. Unlike new message assets, which allow users to interact with you via WhatsApp, message extensions sent an SMS, which had far less interactivity than current messaging apps.

But with mobile internet users far surpassing the number of desktop users in recent years, it’s hardly surprising that message ad assets are back. This could be a new way to encourage leads to engage with your brand directly from their device.

So what are message assets in Performance Max, and how impactful are they likely to be for brands? Let’s take a look.

What are message assets in Performance Max campaigns?

Message assets are a new type of asset you can add to PMax (and Search) campaigns which direct users to WhatsApp to start a conversation with your business. Here’s how Google defines this new feature:

“Message assets allow you to configure an ad asset or button with your responsive search ads in Google Ads. After configuration is complete, user clicks are directed to WhatsApp so customers can start a conversation with your business.”

Message assets appear as an extension to text ads on both Android and iOS devices. When it appears on the SERP, users will see:

• The ad headline
• The ad description
• URL
• Your message asset

Source: Arpan Banerjee

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Other asset types — such as calls and lead forms — won’t be displayed if your message asset is shown.

Tapping the headline will send the user to your website; tapping the message button or CTA will direct them to WhatsApp, where they can start a conversation with your customer service agent.

Key benefits of using message assets

So should you add message assets to your PMax campaigns? Let’s take a look at the four major benefits of doing so.

1. Message assets boost mobile engagement

Mobile users are often highly motivated to buy, especially if you’re a business with a physical store or premises. Users may be looking for sellers nearby, so if you can engage with and respond to their queries with urgency, you could snap up more sales.

In addition, many people prefer texting rather than calling. A UK survey found that 55% of the general population would rather receive a text than a call, rising to 72% of 18-39 year olds. So brands with a younger user base should seriously consider implementing message assets in their PMax campaigns.

2. Engage with leads at all funnel stages

While many mobile users are ready to buy, some need more information. Message assets enable you to move warm leads through the sales funnel by discovering and removing barriers to purchase via WhatsApp. You may even be able to upsell certain products, increasing your revenue.

3. Better user experience = more conversions

Message assets make for a much slicker user experience, reducing the need for landing pages, forms, or loading screens. Better UX makes for a higher conversion rate, with one article estimating a $100 revenue increase for every $1 invested in UX.

Users will also appreciate the personalisation you can offer via WhatsApp messages. You can answer their specific questions directly and send traffic straight to your site, creating a seamless mobile experience. 

4. Simplify asset implementation

Google allows you to add message assets at campaign level or even account level, so there’s no need to duplicate work across multiple ad groups. This makes it easy to manage and edit your message assets.

Practical tips for implementation

Follow this step-by-step guide to adding message assets to your PMax campaign. Note that message assets aren’t available in all countries as of November 2024, so these options may not be accessible to all Performance Max users.

Setting up message assets

Before you can add message assets to your campaigns, you’ll need to set them up. Here’s what to do:

• Set up WhatsApp for Business on your device and add a phone number.
• In Google Ads, navigate to message assets configuration.
• Select the correct country for your WhatsApp for Business number, then input your number into the WhatsApp phone number input box.
• Enter a starter message that meets Google Ads policies. Note that ad headlines cannot contain the word “WhatsApp”. If they do, any clicks may be redirected to your website.

Example starter messages

Your starter message is a 140-character string that’s automatically populated when the user clicks Send Message. They’ll have the option to send this default message or change it to a message of their own.

Different industries will benefit from different starter messages. Hospitality and retail businesses might want to guide users to book or buy a product, while online businesses with longer sales cycles (such as marketing agencies or finance companies) can take a softer-sell approach. See the table below for some example starter messages:

Adding a message asset to a new campaign

With your message assets set up, here’s how you can add them to a new campaign:

1. Create a new campaign with leads as your campaign objective. Select an existing account-level conversion goal.
2. Select Performance Max as your campaign type (message assets can also be used in Search campaigns).

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3. Select ‘Messages from your ads’ as the way to reach your goal.

4. Click continue and finish creating your campaign.
5. Click Campaigns > Assets > Message.

6. Choose Use Existing and select the message asset you’ve already created. Alternatively, you can create a new message asset at this stage.

Add a message asset to an existing campaign

Update your current campaigns with message assets by following these steps:

1. Click Campaigns, then select the relevant campaign.
2. Click the gear icon to open the campaign settings.
3. Click Goals, then select the goal 'Messages from your ads' and save.
4. Navigate to Assets, then repeat steps 5 and 6 above.

Best practices for using message assets

Ensure your message assets are as impactful as possible with these Performance Max best practice tips:

Craft a compelling starter message

When writing your starter message, think about what might drive your user to hit send. It could be an irresistible call-to-action, a frequently asked question, or a USP disguised as a query. Aim for relevance, clarity, and consider A/B testing your message assets to see which resonates with your users the most.

You know your target audience best, so use this knowledge to craft a compelling starter message. Just remember to stay within the 140-character limit.

Optimize your message for mobile audiences

Message assets are only shown to mobile users, so it’s important to optimize your message for these audiences. Mobile users may:

• Be on-the-go when they’re contacting you.
• Find it easier and more convenient to message rather than call.
• Be interrupted or distracted by other tasks.

Where you can, make sure your message takes these factors into account. Keep your starter message (and follow-up conversations) direct, polite, and relevant. 

PMax message assets: Challenges and considerations

Message assets are a great way to boost user engagement, especially among younger audiences and those who are on-the-go. If you can capture and respond to interest at the right time, you can collect and nurture highly motivated leads via WhatsApp.

But there are certain challenges to consider, too. For example, it’s much easier to send a message than to make a phone call. So you might need to find a way to manage high message volumes. Some users may use your messaging function as a customer service tool, so you’ll need a way to filter these through to your customer service agents (and exclude them from your lead gen data).

In addition, users who are left waiting for a response may quickly become disengaged. Businesses with short sales cycles in particular must act quickly to capture quality leads at just the right moment.

If you have a longer sales cycle, you’ll also need to be patient and gauge a user’s readiness to buy based on individual messages. Your sales team should be ready to respond appropriately, and try to avoid jumping the gun to clinch a sale that’s still some way off.

What marketers are saying

It’s still early days for message assets, with the functionality only available in certain countries. But Google Ads specialist Thomas Eccel broke the news to many in the PPC community that message assets are now being rolled out to more PMax users:

Many marketers are excited about this feature and its potential for capturing quality leads quickly, as well as directly communicating with their ideal users:

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But marketers aren’t just interested in this feature in a professional capacity. Many are also excited about using it for their own communication with brands, since WhatsApp is already a huge part of their online presence:

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Others (like Amir Scapa above) have noted the promise for integrating AI to take the manual work out of lead communication in WhatsApp.

While this is very promising for scaling up your lead gen efforts, it also risks losing the personalization that users get when chatting with a real person. So if you do use AI, you’ll need to ensure it generates excellent value for your users.

Protect your PMax message assets from invalid traffic

Message assets are going to be a seriously useful tool for advertisers, with few obvious downsides. You’ll collect higher quality leads, interact with motivated buyers in real-time, and improve your conversion rate. The real challenges will be integrating AI, managing inquiries, and responding with the right information at the right time. When done properly however, we believe message assets have the potential to be game changing when it comes to targeting mobile users.

Unfortunately, invalid traffic (IVT) remains a problem for Performance Max campaigns, and message assets may provide another avenue for bots and other fake users to interact with your ads. IVT drains your ad budget, and could force you to waste time sifting through messages from invalid users.

Lunio works to protect all your ad campaigns (including PMax) from invalid traffic. If you’re looking for end-to-end invalid traffic prevention tool, get a 14-day free trial of Lunio to find out how much IVT is affecting your ads right now.